Lehmkuhl on your support staff; malpractice hammer clause; Wash. state considering DSO law?

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

In this column, Andy Lehmkuhl, a principal at dental practice consulting firm Edge Advisors, asks dentists: Where does your time go? He advocates for a strong support staff and empowered team to allow the dentist to focus on production and profitability -- and to avoid feeling like Michael Jordan in a swimming pool.

In the second of a three-part series, Jennifer Gibson of Medical Protective details a clause in your malpractice insurance known as the "hammer clause" and its impact on your professional liability policy. She details the difference between a full and modified clause and also what you should know when considering a malpractice policy.

Washington legislators are considering changing the state's dental law, which supporters say will remove regulatory uncertainty for dentists who work for dental support organizations. But the state dental association says the proposed changes could lead to decisions based more on profit than the ethical treatment of patients. Read Features Editor Donna Domino's article here.

Also, in the first of a two-part series, partners and associates from the law firm McGuireWoods detail the advantages to practicing dentists of a dental support organization (DSO). In this column, they discuss the focus on patient care, serving underserved markets, and regulatory compliance. Read their column here.

If you are in the U.S., enjoy your President's Day weekend. We are running a reduced publishing schedule on Monday, then will return with our Letters from the Editor next week on Tuesday and Thursday.